THE 7,391-strong Philippine National Police Academy Alumni Association , Inc. or PNPAAAI has called on the Department of Interior and Local Government and PNP leaderships to follow due process and fairness in its search for the truth on the mystery behind the more than a ton of shabu worth over P8 billion discovered inside a lending firm-turned drug warehouse in Sta. Cruz, Manila in October last year.

In a statement, the PNPAAAI announced its full support to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. and the top PNP leadership for carrying out their ongoing internal cleansing campaign at the 227,000-strong police force which lately has been hit by demoralization amid ‘cover-up charges and counter-charges’ aired over the controversy-laden seizure of P6.7 billion worth of shabu and the pilferage of 42 more kilos of the drug.

However, the group chaired by retired Police Major General Gilbert DC Cruz, now the Executive Director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, said that while the police agency had been beset with seemingly endless controversies which, on and off, have unfairly dragged the names of and reputations of its members before the bar of public opinion, the public and the decision-makers should always consider the primacy of the Constitutional precept of due process.

“The higher authorities should also always take into consideration of ensuring that justice is served fairly, swiftly and accurately because the truth will always set us all free,” the nine-member PNPAAAI Board of Trustees said in a manifesto.

The manifesto said the current controversy on the alleged complicity of some senior and junior PNP officers in the seizure of more than 990 kilograms of shabu worth P6.7 billion once again has put the police agency in bad light.

“Filipinos aware of this incident now see another ‘traditional’ confrontation between and among personalities using the various media platforms and where possibly, similar to the past controversies, the vicious cycle we can feel is that it might end up again in oblivion without any idea whether the individuals to this case are found probably accountable and subsequently brought to justice,” the PNPAAAI manifesto said.

The PNPAAAI board said the PNP, as an institution has survived many’ battles’ despite the involvement of countless serious officials in crime and lawlessness, some of which are beyond imagination.

“But let this case involving roughly P6.5 billion shabu haul serve as a strong warning to those who are bent on destroying further the police agency to lay down their irresponsible acts, in deference to the many police officers and other law enforcers who offered their lives to secure and protect the people from the detriments of illegal drugs,” the group said.

The PNPAAAI called on all top officials of the PNP to get their acts together and not make use of the media as a forum for baseless, unfounded and unsupported allegations of crime against individuals until the presence of required quantum of evidence. Other groups called on the DILG leadership to also heed the PNPAAAI appeal.

“This is protect the interest of the innocent officials, including their families from public embarrassment and humiliation. As an instrument of law enforcement, the PNP knows there is no substitute for due process,” the group of ‘Lakans’ said in the wake of the major drug controversy which has dragged the names of some PNPA and Philippine Military Academy graduates.

Last week, former PNP chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. declared that his major accomplishment during his 8-month tour of duty is that he was able to unmask the ‘termites’ in the 227,000-strong organization which are destroying the force.

He also did not mince words in praising former PNP Drug Enforcement Group director, Brigadier Gen. Narciso D. Domingo for what he has done during his stint at the PNP-DEG since August 8 last year.

“I’m really proud of what Brig. Gen. Domingo did. He tried his very best, siya ang nag-umpisa, siya ang bagong mukha ng ating laban sa droga,” Gen. Azurin said of Domingo, a member of PNPA ‘Tagapagpatupad’ Class of 1992.

Gen. Azurin two weeks ago appealed to Sec. Abalos to ‘focus on the real enemy’ or the vicious drug syndicates and their tentacles in the government that are destroying the country as he called on the DILG chief to beware of people who may be feeding him misinformation to cast doubt on the integrity of the PNP organization which is under his authority.

He also called the SILG’s attention also to the previous drug operations where worth of hundreds of millions of shabu were seized in a raid in Poro Point, La Union; Binalonan, Pangasinan; at a gas station in Mexico, Pampanga; and recently in Baguio City. Gen. Azurin made the call a week after Sec. Abalos accused some top PNP officials of attempting to ‘cover-up’ the probe on the major drug haul.

The PNP chief said it was Sec. Abalos who ordered him to get the roots of the drug syndicate although he asserted they need to have the trust and confidence of the DILG chief as they follow his order.

He also said that he let the SITG 990 led by Major Gen. Eliseo DC Cruz do its job, the result of which was made public by the latter two Sundays ago.

Gen. Azurin said what they want to find out is who are the persons giving orders to Mayo and Lieutenant Jonathan Sosongco to ‘pilfer’ the nearly P286 million worth of shabu.

According to him, they have identified Mayo and Sosongco as ‘mere part of the leaves’ in the syndicate’s family tree and need to unmask the ‘branches’ as they go deeper into the discovery of the 990 kilograms of shabu.

Gen. Azurin said he knows almost all police officials and have no reason to believe that Brig. Gen. Domingo is involved in drugs. Domingo’s track record and clean slate, according to the top cop, prompted him to make the latter as PNP-DEG chief.

The top official added it was also ‘very unfair’ for former PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Lieutenant Gen. Benjamin D. Santos Jr. to be labeled as trying to ‘cover-up’ Mayo. He said that Santos went to the site because he directed the latter to supervise the operation.

The PNP chief said it was obvious that the syndicate already knew what would be the recommendations of the SITG 990. “They have an inkling kung ano ang ilalabas, somebody may have tipped them off ano ilalabas ng SIT and inunahan na to destroy, pero papano mo madestroy eh puro affidavit form, me CCTVs. Ang basis nila, video na hindi nagsasalita, baka na-splice pa nga,” he said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon